OK, a bit late for a new year resolution but at least it's still January and posting this here will encourage me to get on with it.

I have a small N gauge layout which has not been used for a while and have thought about extending it to revive a bit of interest instead of having it stood on end in a corner doing nothing. This is what it looks like at present.

I intend to add scenery to the fiddle or staging area and extend the track by about 18 inches to create a new staging area beyond it. The new scenic section will involve industries which have their cars spotted on the running line, which will add operational interest.

A possible kick back spur and additional industry hiding the staging area, drawn in grey, would entail trains being made up with cars either side of the loco as they run onto the layout and would add yet more operating potential.

Welcome, if entering this challenge will motivate you to get some projects done, then by all means, you are officially entered. A bit late, but once you get to know us, you'll see where we don't stand too much on formalities. The starting date is somewhat arbitrary, but the ending date is not.

Glad you could join us! I enjoyed your blog and the creative work you do. Your comments bout painting bent nails to make lamp posts made me smile. I use paper clips for that purpose on my HO layout.
Ralph

Alwyas good to see another modeler in the Normal scale!

Thanks for the welcome guys.

Mike, I've got to confess that I went off N in favour of larger (HO, On30 and Gn15) scales. It's the usual advancing age versus receding eyesight situation.

I'm a hoarder though and an exercise in building a layout for my old collection of German N trains during the run up to Christmas has got me interested in the small stuff again so it was just a matter of time before the box of American stock saw the light of day.

I've got other irons in the fire and tend to flit from one project to another but posting here with the deadline to meet should keep things in focus.

I don't really understand what the eyesight thing is all about. I work with O scale and gauge at work and some HO. Most of the tiny details I have to fool with in those scales don't exist in N scale. I find the N far easier (other than putting the wheels on the track ) to work with. That said if one wants to put detailed interiors in the buildings and enjoys doing tiny detail work then I guess the bigger scales are the way to go. Myself I'm a big picture type of modeler not a small picture type. I don't use a three foot rule but two foot works for me. For the record my right eye is not far from being legally blind and my left eye is barely O.K. with my glasses on.

Point taken Mike, it is mainly a matter of putting stuff on the track but I've bought myself a Kato ramp which makes the job a lot easier.

The extended layout will be known as Sand Creek and work has begun today. The original baseboard has been incorporated into the larger layout and the trackbed is completed. The track itself has been cut to fit but is not yet fastened down, awaiting construction of the point operating mechanism. The pictures below show how the layout is taking shape, plus some new shots of the original yard.


The staging area will hold a loco and up to three cars out of sight.


Sand Creek depot will be where cars are spotted on the running line for unloading, but will also see a passenger train two or three times a week, mainly because I have a doodlebug that needs somewhere to run, I'll think up a reason why the branch still enjoys such a luxury later.


Sand Creek is also the junction for the kick back spur in front of the staging area.


The original yard area has a rail served industry, which is the line's main customer, and a team track.


The flat roofed building next to the team track was built to replace the office in the disused freight house further up the yard, but is now used only by the train crews as a canteen and rest room.


That's all for now, time to take the dog for a walk (the pub's open).

Lookin' good, Bob. I like the way you've separated the industry and team track area from the rest, using the bridge as a scenic divider.

Blackcloud Railways Wrote:That's all for now, time to take the dog for a walk (the pub's open).

Nothin' like goin' for a drink with a man's best friend.

Wayne

Ditto what Wayne said!

Thanks for the comments gentlemen.

I've done a bit of terraforming this afternoon using plaster filler over expanded polystyrene packaging material to build up the ground level at the bridges.

The old Sand Creek depot is now an unspecified light industry, but no longer rail served. Cars spotted on the main here are unloaded into trucks for local delivery to an off line industry. The cereal box is standing in for a warehouse which will provide the backdrop here. The depot building is a resin casting which turned out a bit bigger than I was expecting, it's actually made for wargaming and their scale denomination is quite unlike ours as model railroaders. No matter though, a few bushes to hide the overscale door at the far end will solve the problem.

A second bridge will separate the depot area from the spur in front of the staging track. I'm undecided whether this will carry more railroad tracks or a highway, the former would probably be easier because it would save having to put traffic on the road.

The kick back spur in front of the staging track will, hopefully, give the impression of a truncated branch line which has been partially restored to serve a new industry.

Blackcloud Railways Wrote:A second bridge will separate the depot area from the spur in front of the staging track. I'm undecided whether this will carry more railroad tracks or a highway, the former would probably be easier because it would save having to put traffic on the road.

It doesn't have to be a busy road.
On the other hand, a vehicle or two can help to set (or change) the era in which you're modelling.

Wayne

I vote for the highway, you know you NEED some of those awesome Classic Mini-Metals vechicles!

Highway it is then.


With the second industrial unit now on hand to measure I have attached the backscene on the central section. While doing this the backscene hiding the staging area fell off so it was reattached using screws and steel brackets instead of glue and nails.

The industrial unit across the track from the old depot is not rail served but the one on the kick back spur will have a concrete apron in front of it allowing stacker trucks to unload boxcars.

The substructure for the bridge dividing the central and right hand scenes has been cut to size but the deck will not be attached until work on the tracks below it has been complete.

(Ballasting under an N scale bridge is not easy, been there, done that.)

Looking good, really like the under the bridge shot!

Nice Blackcloud. This highway really stand out to divide the fiddle track from the scenery. It's fun to see how little element at the right place can really expand our perception of space.

Matt